


Shadows In The Dark

by SnarryMalecLover101 (orphan_account)



Series: The Shadows Series [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adopted Harry Potter, Angst, Bad Dumbledore, Dumbledore Bashing, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Seriously if you like Dumbles then don't read this cause he's terrible here, Severitus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 18:38:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13957584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/SnarryMalecLover101
Summary: James was killed on that awful Halloween night in Godric's Hollow, but Lily survived. Rather than put her son in more danger, she left him with Severus and went into hiding. This is what would have happened if Harry was raised by someone who loved him. CURRENTLY ON HIATUS.





	Shadows In The Dark

October 31st, 1981

"Lily! Take Harry and go! Run!"

When she would think about it later, she'd realize that this was the last time she was going to see her husband ever again. For now though, Lily Potter could not stop and linger on this. Instead, she took the stairs three at a time to get to her innocent son, barely a year old and currently screaming bloody murder from his crib.

Lily burst into the room, almost yanking her son up protectively into her arms. His cries of fear only made her that much more panicked, even as she heard the scream of her husband from downstairs.

"Shh, shhh!" The woman turned her back towards the door, knowing she'd happily take the killing curse over her own infant son dying any day. She had to get him out of this. That was the only thought which kept the terrified woman from breaking down completely.

They couldn't stay here anymore. In fact, if Lily had it her way, she wouldn't let her precious child be seen with her ever again if he just got out of this alive. This was all her fault, her and James. Sirius must have betrayed them. He was the Secret Keeper after all, and now her Harry was in danger because of it.

She heard footsteps rushing up the stairs, and mentally screamed at herself to think. She could apparate out of here, but who could she really trust? 

Sirius had betrayed them, which could very well mean that Remus had known or actively participated with him. Lily didn't like to think that the gentle, normally kindhearted young man would even consider siding with Sirius, even if the pair of them had been together. But she couldn't say for sure.

Peter was her second option, but he was under so much pressure from the Death Eaters already that Lily dare not put such a strain on him. The man had enough to worry about without her adding in more things.

And then, just as the footsteps reached the top of the stairs, Lily suddenly knew exactly where to hide her son.

Voldemort had only just reached the door when the redhead and her infant vanished with a loud POP.

~~~

Severus Snape was having a rather busy evening. The Dark Lord himself had already been to see him that night, telling Severus that he knew where Lily and James Potter were now hiding, and that he would be the one to kill them that evening.

Severus had been trying to contact Dumbledore ever since, wanting to know if this was actually true, even though the man had a sinking suspicion that indeed it was.

Severus was attempting to contact Dumbledore via Floo Powder for the hundredth time that night, when he felt something ripple through his wards.

The Death Eater turned spy whisked to the door, expecting Dumbledore, or really any Order member.

What the man clearly hadn't expected was a familiar woman with dark red hair and a crying bundle wrapped tightly within her trembling arms.

Severus flung the door open, concern flashing through his face as Lily Potter staggered up to his front door, her own face seeming to become paler and paler by the second.

"Severus!" The woman let out a sigh of relief, almost shoving Harry into Severus's hands. "He found us. Severus, please, you have to take him. James is dead and I think we were betrayed and I have no clue who to trust anymore besides you! Please!"

Severus was lucky enough to catch the infant shoved so pointedly into his arms, and stared at her in shock, trying to register all that she had told him. James was dead, and she was asking him of all people to care for her child.

"Why me? What about one of Potter's friends?" But even as Severus said it, he couldn't ignore the desperation on her face as she shook her head.

"Please, Severus!" She pleaded, clutching at his arms with her hands. "I'll do anything, pay you any amount of money you want, if you'll just promise to look after him until it's safe again. Promise me Severus!"

"Lily, I-" Severus froze at the look in her eyes, then turned to stare down at the still screaming baby in his arms before looking back up.

"Please promise me," the woman looked on the verge of tears, and Severus found that he could no longer deny her. He would've done anything for her, James Potter be damned.

"I promise," he replied, staring directly into her eyes and instinctively pulling the child closer to him. He wouldn't be petty and deny Lily's child sanctuary, not for simply being James's son as well.

"Thank you," Lily whimpered, tears of relief flooding her eyes. "Thank you Severus. I owe you so much for this, for keeping my baby safe-" she was almost sobbing by this point, and Severus longed to hold her, to tell her it would be alright, to lean in and kiss her lips with the passion he felt burning in his chest.

But this would never happen. James had just died, Voldemort was on a murderous rampage, and he assured himself that he was probably the last person Lily would even consider becoming romantically attached to, either now or in the future.

So instead he nodded, told her no thanks or money was necessary, wished her well in hiding, and watched as she apparated out of sight.

Severus only stood there but a moment before pulling out his wand and glancing towards the boundaries where his wards met. If there was ever a time to betray Voldemort, now would certainly be that time. It wasn't as if he could harbor Lily's son in his house and hold Death Eaters meetings at the same time.

With that foreboding thought in mind, Severus set to work on rearranging his wards to better accommodate recent events. Dumbledore would be displeased that Severus's cover had been blown so quickly, but Lily's child was the only important thing to him at this moment. Severus would protect this child with all his power, whether Dumbledore liked it or not.

It wasn't long before Severus made his way back inside, now gently rocking the small child in his arms, who seemed to have quieted the more Severus did this. The Potions Master found himself sinking onto the couch, staring down at the little bundle wrapped in his arms.

"What have I gotten myself into?" He wondered with a sigh. The infant of course, didn't reply, nor had Severus expected him to.

He would Floo Dumbledore in the morning, let him know what had happened. But for now, the Potions Master simply continued to rock the child in his arms, until finally, the little boy fell asleep in his arms. Severus followed suit not long after him.

This was how Severus Snape and Harry Potter spent their first day together. Neither of them could realize how quickly they would become attached to each other, or that one day Harry would think of Severus as a father, and Severus would care for Harry as if the boy was his very own son. 

For now, as the two slept on, all they knew was that, at least, for the time being, they had each other. 

This was one of the thoughts that would keep one Severus Snape going for eleven more years.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, so this was alot to get out in one short little prelogue chapter. So no one is comfused, yes, prior to Sirius's 'betrayal,' he and Remus were together. Also, James, Sirius, and Peter never told Lily or Remus about the Secret Keeper switch, so neither of them know that Peter is the one who actually betrayed them all. Apart from all that mess, yes, Sirius still goes to Azkaban as he did in canon.
> 
> Unfortunately, we won't be seeing much of him or the rest of the Maurauders/Lily in this particular segment. However, I am planning a sequel, in which everything about the adults and what they've all been up to will be revealed. 
> 
> So just enjoy the slower pace and all the nice fatherly bonding Sev and Harry have for now. Apologies, but I didn't want to rush into Lily's return too soon.


End file.
